Dredge hoisting apparatus



J. M. BENNETT DREDGE HOISTING APPARATUS May 28, 1935.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.'-

Filed March 20, 1933 ATTORNEYS...

y 3, 1935- J. M. BENNETT 2,002,599

DREDGE i -IOISTING APPARATUS Fil ed March 20, 1935 sfieets-sheet 2 Q & v+ 0 jgg INVENTOR:-

A TTORNEYS.

May 28, 1935. J, M. BENNETT 2,002,599 DREDGE HOISTIQNG APPARATUS;

Filed March 20, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VEN TOR.

\/0/2/z 072 Zen/26% BY W/Lz, 6M.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 28 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,002,599 DREDGE HOISTING APPARATUS John M. Bennett, Joliet, n1. ApplicationMarch 20, 1933, Serial No. 661,813

Claims.

. My invention relates to apparatus for hoisting and lowering dredges, and more particularly as involving dredges which are dragged by a vess in oyster or clam fishing, and my main object 5 is to provide an apparatus of this kind which is machine operated.

paratus.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hoisting apparatus which places the dredges in pairs and in spaced relation to the sides of the vessel, so as to move with sufficient clearance therefrom and from each other.

Another object of the invention is to so design the novel hoisting apparatus as to handle the dredge along a course of greatest convenience and to place the same where handy access will be had for emptying it ofits load.

An additional object of the inventionis to construct the novel hoisting apparatus with par and units which are sturdy in design and follo sound mechanical principles, whereby to render the apparatus efiicient and durable.

' With the above objects in view and. any others that may suggest themselves from the specification and claims to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the novel hoisting apparatus as applied to a typical fishing vessel;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the showing in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the showing in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are, respectively, sections on the lines 5-6 and 11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one modification of the hoisting apparatus;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the showing in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a magnified bottom view of the dredge; l

Fig. 11 is a section on the line ll|l of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a second modification of the hoisting apparatus;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan View of the upper Fig. is an end view'of Fig. 14 from the righthand side.

While mechanical means for hoisting and lowering' dredges and like units are not generally novel, I have so far failed to find an apparatus whose action is entirely machine operated and controlled by a single operator. An apparatus of this kind has for its main advantage the saving of time and labor, and my intention hasbeen to simplify and expedite the process of clam and 10 oyster fishing by providing a system whereby a minimum of manual attention will be required.

In carrying outthe invention specific reference to the drawings indicates a typical fishing vessel at 25, the same having the usual deck 15 a and the side rail or guard 251). For the purpose of my apparatus, threemasts 26 are pro; vided in longitudinally spaced relation along the center of the deck, these being strengthened from the sides by shrouds 26a and furtherreinforced by a guy wire 21 leading from the forepart of the deck along the upper ends 'of the masts to be secured in the cabin or superstructure 28. The pilot who is in this cabin attending to the wheel, is provided with the necessary con trols to operate the novel hoisting apparatus, which is generally divided into two units, one fore and one aft. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the forward unit is in the process of dragging a dredge 29 on each side of the vessel by means of a cable 30 while the unit at the rear has already hoisted a pair. of dredges 29a by means of cables 30a into positions to be handily emptied upon the deck 25a. Thus, the apparatus is in continuous operation, one set of dredges fishing while'the other is being emptied and vice versa.

In order that the two sets of dredges may secure approach to the deck, the rail or guard 25b is interrupted with passages 25c fore and aft, the threshold to these passages being in the form of free-running rollers 3| carried by suitable hearing brackets 3la, so that when a dredge is drawn upon the deck from the side its progress will be promoted by the particular roller 3| there located.

In'the rear of each passage 250 I have provided a post 32 as a fundamental support for the hoisting apparatus. the post being reinforced by a bracing frame 32a and outward top and bottom rails 32b. Alongside the latter is a triangular frame composed of a top rail 33, a rear rail 33a and a brace 33b these constituting a gate'which is applied to the post 32 for swinging motion in a horizontal plane by means of hinges 34.

The gate rail 33 projects some distance beyond the frame rail 32?) and is transversely perforated at 330 in its extended portion to receive the cable 35! (or 30a) corresponding to the particular gate and allow the same to be trained about a horizontal pulley 35 and directed over the deck as indicated in Fig. 4. The pulley 35 is just forward of the rail 33 and is suitably journaled in top and bottom brackets 35a carried by the rail. Before entering the rail from the rear, the cable also receives guidance between two vertically spaced rollers 35, these being freely mounted on spindles Sta, which are fastened in side brackets 36b carried by the rail 33. Fig. '7 shows the cable entering over the lower roller 36 from below, this being the usual position of the cable during the fishing process; however, the cable has occasion at a later time to enter from an upward position, where the guidance of the, upper roller 36 is of importance.

Each cable 39 or 38a is drawn by power from a winding drum 31, such as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the power for this drum being controlled in the cabin 28, as previously anticipated. Therefore, when a cable has been drawn to a certain point with a loaded dredge, it is advisable that the cable be locked to the gate 33 in order to suspend the dredge from the latter at a definite point, and this I secure by forming the cable with a cam enlargement 38, which is of a size to easily enter'between the rollers 36 and pass through the opening 330 in the gate. In doing this, however, the cam enlargement trips a shutter 39 which is vertically slidable in a recess of the gate extension, and drawn downwardly in contact with the cable by a spring 39a effective upon a lever 39?) from which the shutter is suspended. It will be apparent that when the cam enlargement 38 has once tripped the shutter 39, the load on the cable may be considered as suspended from the gate. The gate is, of course, backed by the frame rail 32b, and is held to the same by a latch 380 which forms a downward extension of the lever 390, the latter being pivoted in a bearing standard 3901 carried by the rail 33 and extended with a handle 39c, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. It will now be apparent that downward manual pressure upon the lever handle 396 may lift the shutter 39, and latch 390 if desired; however, my intention is that the tripping action of the cam enlargement 3.3.

not only raise the shutter to lock the cable from return motion, but seat the shutter upon a fall 38a of the enlargement, whereby the latch 390 will be maintained clear of the frame rail 321). In this manner further pull upon the cable from the winding drum 3'1 will have the effect of swinging the gate 33 away from the rail 3% and over the deck 2511, as shown in connection with the rear set of hoists in Figs. 1 and 2,.

The incidental course of the cable is more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, being in the direction of a post it where it is trained past a horizontal guide pulley 300., then over a vertical pulley 46b and down through the fioor of the deck past a guide pulley lilc to the winding drum. The. post 40 carries a shock-absorbing unit to cushion the impact of the gate when the same swings around from the pull of the cable to a position opposite the post it, such unit involving a, plunger ll backed by a spring 4 la which is carried in a receptacle Mb behind the post it. This structure is more clearly shown in Figs. 4 and. 6, the plunger being indicated in the. projected or normal position. When the gate closes on the post 40, its topirail 3,3 rides, over and trips a latch 32 pivoted at 42a to the side of the post 49,; The latch is ordinarily maintained in a receptive position by the pull of a spring 42?) upon the remote portion of the latch whereby to hold the same down on a side lug 420 of the post. Thus, the gate is locked to the post 40. The action just described has procured the entry of the dredge upon the deck, and the power upon the cable is now stopped while those in attendance empty the dredge by first applying a terminal hook 43a of a special lifting cable 63 to the bail 29b of the dredge, the cable 3,3. running over a suitable pulley it carried by the center mast. 26, and then down through the deck floor to a suitable winding mechanism. When the cabin control for this mechanism is actuated, the cable 43 is drawn upon to lift the dredge as indicated in the righthand position in Fig. 2, so that the same may be at a suitable height to be handled for the emptying operation. When this work has been completed, it is only necessary for one of the attendants to release the hook 330. and then procure the release of the latch: 62 by means of a cable 42c controlled manually from the cabin and employing guide means 32d, in which event the plunger M will impinge upon the gate to swing the same outwardly, this action being assisted by a torsion spring 3-10. carried by the pintle of the hinges 34, so that the gate is quickly swung out to original position, the attendant finally actuating the lever handle 3%- to lift the shutter 39 while he shoves the empty dredge overboard and the weight of the same pulls the cam enlargement 38 past the shutter.

It will be seen from the above description that the two hoists at the fore end of the vessel can be at rest while the dredges dragged thereby are in the course of fishing, While the two units at the aft end of the vessel are operated as just described to empty the dredges in connection therewith; or, the system may be operated on a diagon-al principle whereby to drag the dredges from the front on one side and the rear on the other side while the alternate dredges are undergoing the emptying operation. Thus, the vessel is balanced in either case and proceeds along its course Without any uneven tug or influence on the part of the dredges.

One modification of the hoisting apparatus is shown in Fig. 8. Here the gate 45 is swingable on a horizontal hinge 45m from the deck, resting on a suitable support 451) and having the same mechanism as theprevious gate responsive to the pull of the cable, suitable bumpers 46 being provided on. the gate and the deck to cushion the fall of the gate when hauled in.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 12- to 15. 4

Here it is seen that a beam 48 extends crosswise of the deck, being supported by posts 48a. The beam is engaged from the side by a carriage 49 having a strap 5!) with bends 50a and 5% overlying the upper and under sides of the beam 48. The carriage 59 is intended to: ride along the beam. the latter having a slight incline in an outward direction as indicated in Fig. 12, to facilitate such motion. The bend 50a carries vertical rollers 5| adapted to travel upon the beam, and also horizontal rollers tie for lateral guidance along a rib 48b projected upwardly from one side of the beam. In order that the carriage may not receive a twisting tendency, the beam is also extended with a bottom rib H on the opposite side from the rib 5,81) and forming a guide for horizontal rollers 52 carried by the bend 50b ofv the strap 58.

The carriage 19 is vertically perforated to receive a journal at 53a for a pulley 53 which receives the-hauling cable from above to be trained downwardly and along a bottom roller 54 to ex tend rearwardly as shown in Fig. 15 for connection with the dredge as in the previous instances, the roller 5d being journaled in a bracket 54a carried by the bend 53b.

The carriage 43 is adapted to strike a stop lug 48d, extending from the rib 48b of the beam at the end of its outward travel. At such time, a latch pivoted in a pair of perforated ears 4%; projecting forwardly from the carriage rides with its frontal cam surface 55a over a rounded lateral enlargement 43c carried by the beam 48, so as to drop into a cavity 48f in the side of the beam, as clearly shown in Fig. 13. ihe latch is maintained against the beam during the travel of the carriage by an arm 56 carried by a side link 51, the latter being pivoted at 51a to the rear of the carriage and a spring 53 from one of the ears 43a serving to draw the link 51 whereby to exert the necessary pressure upon the latch 55 through the arm 56. By means of this mechanism, the carriage becomes automatically locked to the .beam and from motion in any direction as it approaches the outer end of its travel, and the position thus attained may be considered as the normal one While the dredge is being dragged. However, when the dredge is to be raised, the

pull of the cable applies a cam enlargement 38 of a construction similar to that previously described between the carriage and a horizontally slidable shutter 39 similar to the previous shutter 33 and connected by a bolt 51b to the link 51,

as shown in Fig. 13. It will be apparent that the.

outward movement of the shutter as occasioned by the cam enlargement 38 will draw upon the latch 55 whereby to release it from the beam and permit the continued pull of the cable to draw the carriage inwardly, it being assumed that the dredge has already been raised sufficiently high.

to clear the deck. Incidentally, the opening in the link 57! for the bolt 51b is elongated as indicated at die toallow for the arcuate travel of the link; also, several points of connection, as indicated at diet, are provided on the arm 56 for the link in order to adjust the relation between the movement of the shutter and that of the latch for attachment 63 to the frame Sta.

facility in dislodging and scooping up oysters,

clams and the like, and the two frames being connected by a mesh bag 29. I prefer to open the bottom of the dredge to facilitate emptying the same, since this method is most effective when the dredge is held in suspension over the deck. For this purpose, I apply a trap door 62 in hinged Ordinarily, the trap door is closed, having'a slide 64 with beveled tongue extensions 65a passing through bearings 54b in the trap door and through perforations 640 in the corresponding wall of the frame 60a. The slide M is operable by means of a lever 65 pivoted at 53 to the under side of the trap door, the slide being linked to the lever by a pivot 61. The lever 65 is urged in a direction to keep the slide in advanced position by a spring 68 lodged in a tube 69, the latter being split at 69a to receive thelever. When the trapdoor is to be opened, it is only necessary to draw upon the handle portion 650. of the lever 65 in a direction to pull the slide back and release the trap door from the frame Eta, the trapdoor then swinging down of its own weight to permit the complete discharge of its contents. Needless to add, the

trap door may be easily locked by being swung up and the lever again retracted to make the slide i tongues clear the frame and advance by the'force of the spring68 into the perforations Etc.

It will be seen from the above description that I have provided a hoisting apparatus which is of a relatively simple character and permits the active operations to be controlled from a central point. A minimum of time and effort is thus required, and considerable labor eliminated. Further, the mechanism of the novel hoisting apparatus is constructed along sturdy lines and in keeping with simple and well known mechanical principles, making it of a character to operate efficiently for long periods without appreciable attention or repair.

I claim:-

1. A dredge hoisting apparatus for fishing vessels comprising a support projected from the side of the vessel, a dredge-dragging cable associated with the support and projecting from the same, means for hauling in the dredge to a position adjacent the support, means for pivoting the latter whereby to carry the dredge to a position over the deck, a post on the latter, and a resilient bumper to receive the support and cushion its impact.

2. The structure of claim 1, and a spring catch effective on the support when contacting with the bumper to lock it to the post.

3. A dredge hoisting apparatus for fishing vessels comprising a support projected from the side of the vessel, a dredge-dragging cable associated with the support and depending from the same, means for hauling in the dredge to a position adjacent to the support, and a device automatically effective to lock the cable from recession when the dredge has arrived at a position adjacent to the support.

4. The structure of claim 3, said device comprising an enlargement carried by the cable, and a shutter carried by the support and adapted to be tripped by the enlargement.

5. The structure of claim 3, said device comprising an enlargement with an inclined cam surface carried by the cable, and a shutter carried by the support and adapted to be lifted by said surface and be tripped by the enlargement.

6. The structure of claim 3, means for moving the support whereby to carry the dredge to a position over the deck, a stationary member backing the support, an element locking the support to the stationary member, and a connection between said device and the element operative to release the latter when the cable has been locked and permit said movement of the support.

'7. The structure of claim 3, means for moving the support whereby to carry the dredge to a position over the deck, a stationary member backing the latter, a latch engageable with the stationary member to lock the support to the same, and a connection between said device and the latch operative to release the latter when the cable has been locked and permit said movement of the support.

8. The structure of claim 3, means for moving the support whereby to carry the dredge to a position over the deck, a stationary member backing the latter, a latch engageable with the stationary member to lock the support to the same, a connection between said device and the latch operative to release the latter when the cable has been locked and permit said: movement. of the support, and yieldable means to normally maintain said. device and latch in locked and, engaged. positions respectively.v

9; The structure of claim 3,,means: for moving. the support whereby to carry the dredge to a position over'the deck, a shutter adjacent to the path of thecable, a cam carried by the, latter and effective. to trip the shutter after. the dredge has been brought to a position adjacent to the support whereby to lock the cable from recession, a dwell retaining. the shutter in raised position after it has been tripped, a stationary member backing the support, an element lockingthe latter to the stationary member, and a connection between the shutter and the element releasing the latter when the shutter is in raised position.

whereby to permit said movement of the support. 10. A. dredge hoisting apparatus for fishing vessels comprising a deck standard at the side of the vessel, a support vertically pivoted to the standard and projecting from the side of the vessel, a dredge-dragging cable associated with the support, a lateral extension of. the standard backing the support against the dragging strain, means for hauling the dredge to a position adjacent to the support, and means for swinging the latter away from the extension to a position Wherebyto locate the dredge over the deck.

JOHN M. BENNETT. 

